PISCATAWAY – While many positions on the Rutgers football depth chart are solidified five practices into training camp, free safety remains as wide of an open battle that there is.

Senior Johnathan Aiken and sophomore Delon Stephenson are the two battling it out for the position, as Rutgers coach Kyle Flood has said the two are on “even” ground.

Both players though aren’t taking the battle as a competition between them.

“I don’t even look at it as a competition,” said Aiken, who appeared in 12 games last season, starting three of them. “Just like coach said, the spot is open and both of us got to go out, fight and earn it. In the meeting rooms I help him just as much as coach helps him because I’m the older guy so that’s my job to help my teammates. Even if he does win the job I still want him to know what he’s doing on the field and if I win the job, obviously I want to know what I’m doing on the field. It’s not even a competition, it’s just two brothers helping each other learn the position to help our team improve this year.”

Added Stephenson, a former Sayreville War Memorial High School star who spent a prep year at Milford Academy: “I’m just trying to get better because I know if I practice harder, he’s going to practice harder. That’s just going to make me better and make him better at the end of the day and that’s what we need, just better players out there in the secondary making plays.”

Stephenson, who appeared in eight games last season, offers the added ability to also play in the slot in nickel and dime packages, as he says he is comfortable at both positions right now.

Both players may appear on the field at the same time regardless of who wins the free safety job, such as in the aforementioned situation in five and six defensive back packages.

Either way, they’ll both see time on the field and both have the continued want to push and help each other to make the secondary better than it was a year ago.

“I definitely want this to be my time 100 percent, but I do feel that he has to learn the system as well,” said Aiken, the elder statesman. “Just say if even I do win the position and I go down god forbid, he would have to be the next guy in regardless, so I want him to know just as much I know. It’s not even a competition because we both would get playing time, we just both need to help each other learn the position so we can be a great secondary.”

Peele out indefinitely

Rutgers redshirt sophomore wide receiver Ruhann Peele injured his upper body during Monday’s practice and will be sidelined indefinitely, with his status for the season-opener Aug. 28 against Washington State in question.

“Ruhann is going to be out indefinitely,” Flood said. “It’s an upper body injury. It’s going to take some time. Doubtful for the first game. Anything after that we’ll update it as we go.”